Faisal Al Ketbi leads UAE challenge at Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship

The UAE Jiu-Jitsu team spearheaded by Faisal Al Ketbi will vie for honours at the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship which begins next week.

Held under the patronage of Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, the championship has attracted the most internationally diverse line up of players ever.

A total of 4,000 competitors from 86 countries will take to the mat during the week-long competition which has a total prize fund of over Dh2 million.

It begins with the Kids Championship from April 20-22 followed by the main competition from April 23-25 at the IPIC Arena at Zayed Sports City.

The UAE team was unveiled at a press conference in Abu Dhabi where the sponsors pledged their support to the national team.

Abdulmunam Al Hashemi, president of the Asian Jiu-Jitsu Union and Chairman of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation commented: “With just one week to go until six action-packed days of sport and entertainment, I would like to again thank our generous sponsors who have honored the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation with their support, especially His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces for his unlimited support for the sport of Jiu-Jitsu.”

The UAE national team who are set to compete at the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2015 are Faisal Al Ketbi (black belt under 95), Mohamed Darwish (white belt over 95), Khalfan Belhoul (blue belt under 85) Yahya Mansour (purple belt over 95), Ali Al Darai (purple belt under 75), Taleb Saleh (brown belt under 65), Eid Reehan (purple belt over 95), Ahmed Ghloum (brown belt under 65), Mohammed Al Qubaisi (purple belt under 75) and Jaber Al Darai (brown belt under 85).

“Our own national team players have returned from a camp in Brazil and hopefully can be among the winners in the various weight and belt divisions in the championships,” Al Hashmi said.

“We recently arrived back in the UAE after training for the Championship in Brazil and we’re all in top form,” said Al Ketbi will be competing for the first time in the black-belt division after earning the ranking last year.

“The black belt has raised my confidence and my technical abilities. It is a massive step up and I’m looking forward after the six-week camp we had in Brazil ahead of this ­competition,” he added.

Darwish spoke about his excitement for competing in front of his home crowd for the first time.
“It is a real honour to be selected as part of UAE team and represent my country in front of our own crowds. The UAE is a strong supporter of Jiu-Jitsu and you can feel it in the excitement building in this final week and I can’t wait to feel that energy when I’m out on the mat,” he said.

Beyond world-class Jiu-Jitsu action, organisers, the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation are bringing a family event that celebrates the seventh anniversary of the Championship and emphasizes the commitment the federation has to the community. 

The activities include an expanded fan experience that includes sponsor activities at the enhanced IPIC Fan Zone, family events, interactive stands and a raffle draw where all visitors will have the chance to win exciting prizes with the likes of a Land Rover Discovery Sport and Jaguar XF.

The Jiu-Jitsu Federation will also be running a new, recently-announced programme that will monitor the competition and select the best Jiu-Jitsu players to support and encourage bright talents throughout the tournament.

The International Petroleum Investment Company is the Official Partner of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation and will be welcoming fans to their larger than ever fan zone inside the arena this year.



 

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